Varying UV and Near IR Light to Interfere With Camcorder Piracy

Abstract

An inventive method varies light within a wavelength range of ultraviolet to infrared coincident with media content being projected. In an exemplary embodiment, the wavelength light is varied with a wavelength in a range that includes 360, 370, 380, 390, 650, 660, 670, 680 and 690 nanometers. Preferably, the varying light is projected from behind a screen onto which the protected content is projected. Also, the varying light is projected onto different locations on a screen onto which the media content is projected.

1 . A method comprising:
 varying light within a wavelength range of ultraviolet to infrared coincident with media content being projected.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength range includes one of 360, 370, 380, 390, 650, 660, 670, 680 and 690 nanometers. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising projecting the varying light from behind a screen onto which the protected content is projected. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising projecting the varying light onto different locations on a screen onto which the media content is projected. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength range through 360, 370, 380, 390, 650, 660, 670, 680 and 690 nanometers. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising projecting the varying light from behind a screen onto which the protected content is projected. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising projecting the varying light onto different locations on a screen onto which the content is projected. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising scanning the varying light at a rate rendering the varying light undiscernable by a viewer. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media content is a movie film projected onto a theatre screen. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a filter having a variable optical transmittance for varying light within a wavelength range of ultraviolet to infrared onto a screen on which media content is projected.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the different optical transmittances comprise wavelengths that include one of 360, 370, 380, 390, 650, 660, 670, 680 and 690 nanometers. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the different optical transmittances comprise wavelengths of 360, 370, 380, 390, 650, 660, 670, 680 and 690 nanometers. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the filter is a disk that is rotatable to change the optical transmittance of light projected through the disk. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the filter disk comprises regions with said different optical transmittances. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the disk is positionable in a light path after an ultraviolet filter and an infrared blocking filter.